Rolling Thunder MW2017

The crisp October air swirled picking up a few fallen leaves making them spin in front of Jason as though they were playing tag while dancing. Jason grinned at their aerial ballet before turning up his collar against the chill breeze and heading down the street. Normally he wouldn't go out for a walk this late but the Chief of Police had recently announced a major effort by the local authorities to, “Take back our streets at any cost”. It had been working as crime had dropped significantly in recent weeks. Huddled in to his own coat and his own world of thoughts Jason was unaware of the events transpiring around him until it was too late.

Bang-ang, Bang-ang. The shots echoing off the buildings as they emerged from the narrow alleyway. The sound of an engine and screeching tires followed soon after. Jason looked around for someone, anyone, to tell what he had just heard but the streets were empty. Grabbing his cell phone, Jason was about to dial 911 but thought better of it. Maybe it wasn't gun shots. Maybe that car he heard had back fired. Slowly Jason approached the end of the alley and peaked around the corner. At first he saw nothing, the alley being considerably darker than the street. He entered the alley slowly, his eyes adjusting to the dimmer light. There he found a body, face down on the ground. Curious as it was, he found letters written in blood on the grayish concrete near the victim's right hand. “69RR”. “What does that mean?” Jason wondered aloud as he checked the body for a pulse. He found none. Looking around for anyone who might be able to help Jason dialed his phone. When the dispatcher patched him through to the local PD Jason informed them of his location and situation. He was instructed to remain there until the authorities arrived to take his statement. Of course he agreed.

A strange loud, thumping percussive sound was reverberating in Jason's ears. At fist he thought it was his own heartbeat but realized it had an echo making it sound deeper and even more threatening. A demonous black car, huge, ominous, looking like pure evil very slowly crossed the other end of the alleyway. Each thump of the booming exhaust sounding like the heartbeat of the devil himself. The deep black lacquer of the paint and the dark tinted glass didn't help the car look any safer. The beast seemed to growl and hiss at the sight of Jason who was frozen in abject terror.

Rain started to fall, slowly at first, then in sheets but passed quickly. As Jason watched, the last words of the victim disappeared from view. His cell phone still in his hand, it never occurred to him to take a picture while he had the chance. The sound of sirens cut through the spatter of the rain. Jason walked to the end of the alley to await the police. As he reached the street he heard that familiar booming thump from the giant black beast. It was one black away, just sitting there, waiting. As Jason watched, the beast began to inch forward, turning toward him. Jason turned back to the alley and ran as fast as he could, past the victim's body, and onward to the other end of the alley. Deep within the alley the thunderous booming of the beast's exhaust sounded like cannon fire. Jason knew he was running for his life.

The park! Diagonal to the block he was on there was a one block square park. The beast couldn't fallow him in there! If he could make it to the middle of that park he had his choice of six different exits. A one in six chance of escape was better than any other options he could think of. His legs pumping, the cold air burning in his lungs, Jason forced himself to go faster. Behind him he could hear the thumping booming rumble of the beast as it emerged from the narrow alley. He heard the roar as the car accelerated toward him. His heart pounding hard, he passed through the iron gate at the entrance to the park and ran toward the fountain in the center.

The park was surrounded on all sides by tall buildings making it a little oasis of nature in an asphalt and iron jungle. Jason could hear the thumping boom of each cylinder in the beast's massive engine fire. “Thump....thump thump........thump.....thump thump thump......thump....thump.” It's percussive rhythm both hypnotic and threatening at the same time. Each thump of horsepower echoed off the surrounding buildings, and the echoes began to echo. The park was the focal point for the noise and Jason was losing his mind with fear. The dense foliage of the park made it difficult to see the beast but Jason had a strong feeling it was now on the North side of the park. Sirens were closing in from different locations, at least one sounding like it had arrived at the alley where the victim was located.

Jason knew the only way to circle the park by car was clockwise since all the adjacent streets were one way. With the beast to the North Jason ran as swiftly as he could to the West exit. A loud whumping noise got his attention and he realized a police helicopter was now overhead. Jason dialed his phone and told the dispatcher he was headed toward the west side of the park and the murderer was chasing after him. Jason could hear the dispatcher direct officers to block off both ends of the street Jason was heading toward. The dispatcher instructed Jason to find the nearest police officer when he got there.

Even with the loud whumping of the helicopter overhead Jason could still hear the booming thump of the beast as it rounded the corner to the South turning in his direction. He ran out of the park and down the side street to the West. The helicopter was directly overhead now. Jason heard the roar of the beast as it turned on to the street behind him. It was a race to the other end of the block now and Jason knew he couldn't outrun that monster car.

Half way down the block was an auto repair shop with a huge yard filled with numerous cars in varying degrees of repair. Giant industrial sized metal dumpsters lined one side of the property and Jason ran to them seeking shelter from the beast. Police officers were slowly advancing down the street toward where Jason was hiding. Jason could hear the thump and boom of the beast getting closer. It seemed like it was almost on top of him. The whumping of the helicopter was right above him. His own heartbeat was like thunder in his ears. All the percussive sounds seemed to resonate in the giant dumpsters all around him. Jason pressed his hands over his ears trying to stop the cacophony from liquifying his brain. He heard a police officer yell, “Is the Chief here yet?” And heard a second officer reply, “I think so...”

Jason knew his chances of escaping the beast were never going to get any better than they were at that moment. He had no idea where the beast was but the booming of its pulse made it clear it was very close. The thunderous chorus of noises nearly driving him insane, Jason steeled himself against his fear and hurled himself toward the nearest police officer. The officer fired twice.

Jason lay face down on the grayish concrete, blood pooling under him. “The Chief is here...” Jason heard someone say. As the light faded from his eyes, Jason could see the license plate on the beast that had come to a halt just a few feet away from him. “69RR426”. The Chief climbed out of his highly modified jet black 1969 Plymouth Roadrunner with a monstrous 426 Hemi engine and said, “Someone fill me in. What do we have here?”

The end.

a reply to: Vroomfondel

Well this is odd,2017 has been a year of change for me and My initials are M.W.,it is also strange that the person in your story's name is Jason,my middle name starts with a J.

I am sure there is nothing to it,but it is interesting none the less. You are a good writer if you don't write for a living I think you should consider it,I once dated a writer and she was a great one,but the short story you wrote reads like the retelling of an actual event that happened. Keep it up.

a reply to: VashTheStampede

Wow. Thank you for the kind words. :-)

I would like to write for a living, just not sure how to do it...

a reply to: Vroomfondel

Excellent!!

That was fun to read Vroom!

originally posted by: Vroomfondel
a reply to: VashTheStampede

Wow. Thank you for the kind words. :-)

I would like to write for a living, just not sure how to do it...

When I was dating the writer last year she said it is actually pretty easy to get a book published and sold on Amazon. If I were you I would start there and sell a physical version as well as a digital version. I know you will succed I can feel it. If you build it they will come,probably in flocks if you keep up the level of quality.

a reply to: VroomfondelThat was great, I was thinking of Christine but you played the ending well

dupe

originally posted by: SprocketUK
a reply to: VroomfondelThat was great, I was thinking of Christine but you played the ending well

Thank you!

I almost went there...lol

Actually I was thinking along the lines of a mashup of Christine and The Car. Even though its so close to Halloween I didn't go with the supernatural theme.

a reply to: Vroomfondel

Well, I think you got it right

a reply to: Vroomfondel

Nice one Vroom! Very well written

a reply to: FauxMulder

Thank you kind sir.

dbl

As always, Vroom, well written and engaging. Good job!

a reply to: Vroomfondel

Oooh. Nice twist! I love a good twisty ending!!!

Well done. Excellent imagery too.

a reply to: PrairieShepherd

Thank you very much. I always enjoy your work too.

a reply to: AboveBoard

Such kind and flattering words. Thank you.

a reply to: Vroomfondel

Lots of great entries and yours is one of them . Good job .

The scoutmaster

a reply to: hutch622

Thank you.

a reply to: Vroomfondel

Really really good and a fun story to read.